Teenager sitting near graffiti Credit: Warren Wong
Problems with the brain's ability to -prune- itself of unnecessary connections may underlie a wide range of mental health disorders that begin during adolescence, according to research published today. Teenager sitting near graffiti Credit: Warren Wong Young people often experience multiple mental health disorders, beginning in adolescence and continuing - and often transforming - into adult life Barbara Sahakian The findings, from an international collaboration, led by researchers in the UK, China and Germany, may help explain why people are often affected by more than one mental health disorder, and may in future help identify those at greatest risk. One in seven adolescents (aged 10-19 years old) worldwide experiences mental health disorders, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are among the leading causes of illness and disability among young people, and adolescents will commonly have more than one mental health disorder. Many mental health problems emerge during adolescence. Among these are disorders such as depression and anxiety, which manifest as -internalising- symptoms, including low mood and worrying. Other conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) manifest as -externalising- symptoms, such as impulsive behaviour.
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